Abstract
Tibial shaft fractures represent the most common long bone fractures. They are usually caused by high-energy trauma and are often associated with severe soft tissue injury. Nonoperative therapy may be justified on rare occasions for closed undisplaced fractures. The treatment of choice for most unstable fractures is intramedullary nailing. In cases of open fractures with severe tissue injury or other issues that prevent the initial operation, external fixation may be utilized until definitive care can be accomplished. If the fracture is close to the metaphysis plate, osteosynthesis may be an alternative. The most important complication is compartment syndrome. Union rates after osteosynthesis, especially after nailing, are high, and functional outcome is good in the majority of cases.
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Lichte, P., Pape, HC. (2014). Tibial Shaft Fractures. In: Oestern, HJ., Trentz, O., Uranues, S. (eds) Bone and Joint Injuries. European Manual of Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38388-5_26
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38388-5_26
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